Golden Research Thoughts

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Volume-3 | Issue-11 | May-2014

CONTRIBUTION OF PANDIT JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TO INDIAN FOREIGN POLICY

Deelip Laxman , I.S.Vidyasagar

Research Scholar (Ph.D.) Department of Political Science, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga State
Karnataka (India)
Research Guide and Associate Professor Department of Political Science, Dr. B.R.Ambedkar
College of Arts and Commerce, Gulbarga State Karnataka (India).

I.INTRODUCTION:

The foundations of India’s foreign policy were firmly laid by him. Like any other foreign
policy maker, Nehru underlined India’s national interest as the basic guiding principle. But even
before he did that, Nehru, as head of the interim Government, had declared as on September 7,
1946, principle objectives of India’s foreign policy. In a broadcast to the nation he had said. “We
shall take full part in international conferences as a free nation with our own policy and not
merely as a satellite of another nation. We hope to develop close and direct contacts with other
nations and to co-operate with them in the furtherance of world peace and freedom. We are
particularly interested in the emancipation of colonial and dependent countries and peoples and
in the recognition in theory and practice of equal opportunities for all races”.1India’s national
interest was indeed the most important governing principle of India’s foreign policy during
Nehru’s period. He said in the constituent Assembly on December 4, 1947. “We may talk about
peace and freedom and earnestly mean what we say. But in the ultimate analysis, a government

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functions for the good of the country it governs and no government dare to anything which in
the short or long run is manifestly to the disadvantage of the country”.2
II. CONTRIBUTION OF PANDIT JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TO INDIAN FOREIGN POLICY:
1. NEHRU'S CONCEPT OF WORLD PEACE:
Nehru was a strong believer of international relations and co-operation. His belief was
based on peaceful co-existence. His role for world peace is remarkable, India under the
leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, not only refused to align with the US’s Sponsored Military
alliances, but also strongly opposed them. By doing so, as already stated, she made a valuable
contributiontowards world peace. It would not be out of context here to discuss briefly such
alliances and India’s opposition to them. In March 1947 the Foreign Ministers of the Western
countries met in Moscow to discuss the drafting of peace treaties for Germany and Austria.
They were not able to arrive at any decision in regard to Germany’s fate and left Moscow
without accomplishing their purpose at the end of April. The Moscow conference marked the
end of the co-operation between the Western countries and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union
had also given appreciable aid to the Chinese Communists in Manchuria. It was also seeking to
extend its influence in other parts of the world. When the United States took an active role in
the establishment of the NATO, India thought that the United States had decided to enter into
a close Military alliance with the colonial powers of Europe, which had for a long time held
many Asian and African States under their arbitrary rule. The NATO began as a defence against
aggression so; however, it became an arrangement for the “defence of the colonial
possessions”3 of the Member nations. This caused serious concern to India. Nehru thus spoke
about the NATO in the Lok Sabha on September 29, 1954. “It (NATO) developed geographically
supposed to be the North Atlantic Community, but it spread to the Mediterranean, to the
coasts of Africa, Eastern Africa and to distant countries which have nothing to do with the
Atlantic Community. When the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was first envisaged, it was
for defence but gradually we find that I is supposed to cover the colonial possessions and all
those powers also’.4 Nehru told the Lok Sabha on March 29, 1956 that the Baghadad pact had
created tension in West Asia. He further said “and also, as the house knows, certainly the
Baghadad pact has in fact created in Western Asia a grater tension and conflict than ever
before. It has certainly put one country against another country, the countries that were
friendly to each other”.5Nehru by virtue of being Prime Minister of India, the largest democracy
in the world, for seventeen years, was able to make a significant contribution o the theory and
practice of international relations. His sincerity for the establishment of universal peace is quite
evident from India’s moral and material support to the United Nations in its role in regarce’to
international peace and security.
2. NEHRU AND PANCHSHEEL:
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who is known as the main architect of the foreign policy of India
and an apostle of peace, firmly believed that the nations of the world should accept some code
of conduct. As Nehru said “ I think that the biggest idea that has gradually evolved in people’s
minds all over the world is the futility of war that war does not solve any major issues and that
therefore all problems, however difficult and intricate should be resolved peacefully and this
heralds and entirely new approach all over the world.6

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The five principles detailed below, were formally enunciated in the Sino-Indian agreement
of April 29, 1954 regarding trade and intercourse between the Tibetan Region of China and the
Republic of India. The five principles mentioned in the preamble of the agreement were”.7
a) Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
b) Mutual no aggression
c) Mutual noninterference in each other’s internal affairs.
d) Equality and mutual benefit.
e) Peaceful co-existence.
Speaking in the parliament, Prime Minister Nehru said “I imagine that if these principles
were adopted in the relations of various countries with each other a great deal of the trouble of
the present day world would probably disappear”.Nehru and Chou-En-Lai in a joint statement,
said that “If these principles were applied not only by Asian Countries in their bilateral relation,
but also in international relations generally they would or a solid foundation for peace and
security and the fears and apprehensions that exist missing today would give place to a feeling
of confidence”8The term panchsheel was formally used by Nehru at a state banquet given in
honor of visiting Indonesian President in September 1954. The road to the world is peace and
survival of the humanity from the unwarranted dangers of war to save us from the horrors of
war. We have to take the right path to shape our destiny and reach our destination, which is
possible only through panchsheel.
3. NEHRU AND NON-ALIGNMENT:
India under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, was the first country to have adopted
the policy of non-alignment. India’s policy is positive or dynamic neutralism in which a country
acts independently and decides its policy on each issue on its merit. Non-alignment is based on
positive reasoning. It is not negative, middle of the road reluctance to distinguish between right
and wrong. Nehru had declared in the United States Congress in 1948, “Where freedom is
menaced, or justice is threatened or where aggression takes place, we cannot be and shall not
be neutral, our policy is not neutralist of firm foundations”.9Commenting on India’s foreign
policy K.M.Panikar had said “India has been able to build up a position of independence and in
association with other states similarly placed has been able to exercise considerable influence
in the cause of international good will”10In a way, this policy promotes Gandhijis belief in non-
violence. The critics in early days had said that India’s policy was to remain neutral on the side
of democracy. India was largely responsible for launching the non-aligned movement (NAM) in
1961. It was initiated by Nehru, Yugoslav President Tito and Egyptian President Nasser. Twenty
five countries attended the first NAM conference held at Bulgaria and presided over by Tito.
Invitations were sent to Nehru, Nasser and Tito. After careful scrutiny of foreign policies of
proposed participants of the NAM summit. The five criteria for joining NAM were:
1. The country followed independent foreign policy based on non-alignment and peaceful co-
existence.
2. The country was opposed to colonialism and imperialism.
3. It should not have been a member of a cold war related military bloc.
4. It should not have had bilateral treaty with any of the super powers, and

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5. NAM should not have allowed any foreign military base on its territory. It has grown both
quantitatively and qualitatively. There are as many as 114 member Nations of NAM in 1997.
Non alignment, in other words, is a positive assertion of independence and the absence
of the negative dependence on others. This was Jawaharlal Nehru’s great achievement both in
his own country and in the new turbulent world of former colonies, developing nations and the
third world states. Nehru’s passionate attachment to the peace also served the interest of the
country. According to him, the foremost issue in international affairs was peace or war.
4. NEHRU-COLD WAR AND DISARMAMENT:
Pandit Nehru, as the staunch advocate of the policy of non-alignment, knew very well
the consequences of cold war after the second world war. The era of cold war marked all age of
crisis, which disrupted peace and security of humanity. So Nehru remarked, “Till this crisis of
spirit is resolved, it will be difficult to find a solution for other crises that afflict us” 11 Pandit
Nehru made reference to problems and causes of war and also the need for co-operation
among nations to achieve world peace and security. So, the question of cold war according to
Nehru, covered every quarter of the world. Every issue whether in the Western bloc or
Communist bloc was a part of the cold war. To think in terms of cold war meant constant
appeals to haffed violence, fear and suspicion, cold war come in the way of peace creating,
problems. So, to get out of such evil consequences of cold war, Nehru switched over his
attention, to the problems of peace and disarmament.
5. DISARMAMENT EFFORTS OF NEHRU:
Nehru therefore stressed the need for constructive approach, which was nothing but
disarmament through the UN. Nehru was a visitor at a meeting at the League of Nations in
Geneva and witnessed Hitler’s threats of war. Like that the real problems of peace were;
1. Hitler’s threats of war
2. Non representation of Asia and Africa in the UN.
3. Structural difficulties in the UN.
4. Failure in the activities of the UN.
5. Split in the world and diversity of the world etc.
During 1950’s when Nehru took initiatives regarding disarmament, certainly, he had in
his mind, certain vital issues of his foreign policy and India’s National interest. Nehru’s
initiatives were at the UN. Because being a non-nuclear power India could not be admitted into
the corridars of nuclear power politics. Nehru’s disarmament initiatives came in the years 1953-
54, 1957-58 and 1962. It is said that “Nehru’s first major disarmament effort came only after
the Soviet Union had become a full-fledged thermo nuclear power”. Until his death, Nehru
made it clear that India never want nuclear tests. This in fact is the greatness of Nehru, as an
apostle of peace and world leader to achieve disarmament.
6. NEHRU-COMMONWEALTH AND THE UNITED NATIONS:
It was again Nehru’s major decision to establish and continue India’s like with
Commonwealth in 1949 at the initial stage came as a surprise to people abroad. Because
Nehru, since late 1920’s was opposed to the idea of Dominion Status and stood for complete
independence for India. So in the 1920’s and 1930’s he considered the idea of Dominion status
of India as the most ridiculous. After such a reaction from Nehru and Congress, Lard Attle and

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his colleagues started applying their task of translating promises in to reality, the policy of
giving independence to India in 1945. Then we notice some changes in the thinking towards
maintenance of friendly relations with Britain and Commonwealth, when India achieved its
independence on 15th August 1947. In this way, the riddle got revolved, after the transfer of
power to India by the Britain. It created a favorable impression on the minds of Nehru and his
associates, and reinforced this desire to let India remain in the Commonwealth. Already in late
1946 and early 1947, Nehru’s thoughts reflected the direction of maintaining India’s relations
with Britain and Commonwealth. According to Nehru, though the Commonwealth countries
differed still, they met and discussed all the issues in friendly way, always emphasizing the point
of unity. It had been a privilege of India to be a member of the Commonwealth to be a bridge
between the East and the West. Nehru’s main interest was to make Commonwealth machinery
for the exchange of information and opinion. The Commonwealth facilitated technical
assistance, economic co-operation, trade and education. In this way, Pandit Nehru, played a
very important role, to take such a decision, influenced by the conditions of India and problems
of that new country faced, to continue as a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Though
initially in the late forties and early fifties, the Commonwealth constituted as a corner stone of
India’s foreign policy, but however, after fifties the economic value of the Commonwealth went
on diminishing but still Nehru’s role of decision making remain in the Commonwealth is said to
be most important and mark in the history of India’s foreign policy.
7. NEHRU AND THE UNITED NATIONS:
The United Nations as the second systematic international organization was established
after the Second World War to maintain international peace and security. It succeeded the
League of Nations, the first international organization established after the First World War.
The UN representing all the independent states of the world provides a unique opportunity for
all the newly independent and militarily weak and small states, to play their decisive role in
international politics without being directly involved in power politics of the two super powers.
The UN perhaps is the only international forum which the states utilize is for defending their
territorial integrity. Sovereignty and also securing economic and technical assistance, fighting
against imperialism, racialism and controlling international conflict situations and promoting
world peace, security and order. So it would be quite logical for the newly independent state
like India to attach greater importance to the UN in her foreign policy calculations and to utilize
the same to promote her national and international objective. The UN promotes the growth of
peaceful world order. It provided an international environment conditioning or determining the
foreign policy of India’s national interest do mended that every effort must be made to develop
an effective system of collective security through the UN. So, Nehru always believed in referring
every issue to the forum of the UN. Like that Kashmir issue was also referred to the UN, at the
initiative of Nehru. So, while making a statement in the Constituent Assembly (Legislature) on
Kashmir on March 5, 1948 Nehru said “Our making a reference on this issue to the Security
Council of the UN was an act of faith, because we believed in the progressive realization of a
world order and a world government. In spite of many shocks, we have adhered to the ideas
represented by the UN and its charter- but those any ideals reach as also certain duties and
responsibilities to our own people and to those who put their trust in us” .12India expected more

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from the Security Council to take appropriate action to resolve the issue there by restore
international peace and security. Nehru viewed the UN as a symbol of hope for mankind only
the UN could represent the idea of one world, one world or no hope was the choice left to the
humanity body. It has undertaken a heavy task and has solved same of the difficult problems.
Because of the UN, war has been avoided on several occasions in the last few years. If the UN
was not there the world would be in a parlous state and we would have had to search for it,
and build up some such organization. I have often criticized the UN for some step or the other
with which I did not agree but broadly speaking I would like to pay my tribute to the UN, for the
work which it has done and also to its secretary General”.13
III. CONCLUSION:
So, Nehru’s contribution to India’s foreign policy we may easily be trapped by a desire to
reflect on and describe nothing but India’s foreign policy itself. In paying tribute to Jawaharlal
Nehru, we remember a politician who, through his efforts in many fields, made an important
contribution to opening up for his people the road to our present day world.
IV. REFERENCES:
1. V.N. Khanna, Foreign Policy of India, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, 1997, P. 15.
2. Ibid P. 49.
3. R.D .Sharma, India’s Contribution Towards World Peace Under Nehru, Sehgal Publishers
Service, New Delhi-1990,P-24.
4. Ibid P.26.
5. Ibid P.28.
6. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Foreign Policy of India (From Speech in Lok Sabha, Sept. 17, 1995)
Publication Division, P. 99
7. Tanvir Sultan, Indo- US Relations, Deep & Deep Publications, New Delhi- 1982. P.13.
8. Ibid P. 16.
9. Michael Brecher, Nehru, a Political Biographical, (London- 1959) P. 564-5
10. Arjun Dev, Jawahrlal Nehru, National Book Trust of India. New Delhi, 1989. P. 55.
11. P. S. Jayaramu, India’s National Security and Foreign Policy, A.B.C. Publishing New Delhi
1987, P. 78.
12. H. S. Joshi, India’s Foreign Policy, Surjeet Publishings, Delhi, 1989, P. 67.
13. Har Govind Pant, India’s Foreign Policy, Panchsheel Prakashan, Jaipur (India) 1971, P. 37.

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